My cat won't eat, is lethargic, and breathing fast. What to do?

No, I recommend to have Harlem examined immediately. This could be an emergency situation. When pets suddenly develop a change in their breathing pattern, they need to be examined immediately. This is especially true for cats who can hide signs of heart disease and not have any murmurs or other clues on physical examine. Other causes include infection, asthma or fluid in the lungs. Have him examined right away. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is a medical emergency - he is also very pale which indicates he is not getting sufficient oxygen around his system. This can be due to anemia, heart/lung disease or severe infection and shock. Please have him fully assessed by a vet urgently as this is immediately life threatening

Cassie sounds very ill at the moment, and at her age, there are a number of things that could be causing her symptoms such as heart disease, kidney failure, liver disease, or cancer to name a few. I think she needs veterinary care now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

This is an emergency and you need to take your kitty to a veterinarian or PetER right away. Respiratory distress is very serious and your cat will need a thorough exam, possibly oxygen, and supportive care. He is purring because he is ill and is trying to appease everyone around him. The signs of illness are very unspecific so please take your cat to the ER now.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. If possible, you need to seek veterinary care for him immediately. He appears very sick in your pictures and your description. He will likely need blood work and x-rays of his chest to determine why he is so sick. In the meantime, place karo or maple syrup on his gums. This will help if his blood sugar has dropped too low. It will give him a little energy. He will still need care though. I hope this information helps.

Poor Precious! It sounds like she's quite sick. Open-mouth breathing or "panting" in cats is not normal, and usually indicates a serious breathing problem or some type of severe stress. Acting lethargic and not eating are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost any kind of illness, so it's hard to say what might be going on without being able to examine her and run some tests. It does sound like this may be a life-threatening problem, so I would recommend taking her to the vet today to be seen. If your regular veterinarian doesn't have Saturday hours, I would take her to your nearest emergency clinic. The vet there can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

What a gorgeous cat! I am sorry he is not feeling well. Licking his lips is a sign of nausea. Even though he may not be vomiting today he is showing signs that he is still not feeling well. If he is eating (even small amounts) and drinking water as well as interacting with you, urinating, and defecating than he may be able to wait until Wednesday. However, if Michaleto's breathing continues to be abnormal at all to you this may be a sign that he is in pain or has some sort of disease of his heart or lungs. Any abnormal breathing - whether fast or hard - should be seen as soon as possible by a veterinarian. I hope he is feeling better soon.